1998 Volkswagen Cabrio Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 1998 Volkswagen Cabrio, and owners have filed 21 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 1998 Volkswagen Cabrio
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Filler pipe and cap (fuel system)
On some passenger vehicles, the fuel tank filler neck can suffer abrasion damage if the rear tire goes flat and the vehicle is driven until the tire disintegrates.
Remedy: Dealers will fit passat vehicles with a new wheel house liner that will better protect the car's filler neck. Jetta vehicles will be fitted with a different metal shield designed to enhance abrasion protection in the…
21 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1998 Volkswagen Cabrio have filed 21 complaints with NHTSA; 4 describe a crash. Reports cite 2 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 71,200 miles. Complaints peaked in 2004 with 5 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“1998 volkswagen cabrio gls front windshield header has rusted and no longer capable of supporting the weight of the vehicle. *nj the consumer had to incur the cost of having the front windshield repla”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, November 2, 2009 · Structure
“Manufacturer told me that the car can lurch forward, from 1st gear to 3rd gear, causing an accident due to a bad transmission (car has only 46,100 miles, which leads me to believe that the transmissio”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 6, 2005 · Power train
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1998 Volkswagen Cabrio. Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 22–24 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 19–21 / 26–28 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Subcompact Cars |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 2 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd |
Compare Volkswagen Cabrio model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Volkswagen Cabrio model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 Volkswagen Cabrio | 0 | 1 |
| 1991 Volkswagen Cabrio | 3 | 7 |
| 1992 Volkswagen Cabrio | 1 | 9 |
| 1993 Volkswagen Cabrio | 0 | 8 |
| 1995 Volkswagen Cabrio | 0 | 15 |
| 1996 Volkswagen Cabrio | 0 | 6 |
| 1997 Volkswagen Cabrio | 0 | 14 |
| 1998 Volkswagen Cabrio | 1 | 21 |
| 1999 Volkswagen Cabrio | 0 | 29 |
| 2000 Volkswagen Cabrio | 1 | 16 |
| 2001 Volkswagen Cabrio | 1 | 38 |
| 2002 Volkswagen Cabrio | 0 | 23 |
Checking a specific 1998 Volkswagen Cabrio
How do I know if my 1998 Volkswagen Cabrio has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 1 campaign currently lists the 1998 Volkswagen Cabrio; your car may already have been repaired under it.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Volkswagen dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 02V026000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Volkswagen models
- Jetta10,000 complaints
- Passat7,705 complaints
- Beetle2,596 complaints
- Tiguan2,300 complaints
- Atlas1,999 complaints
- Golf1,439 complaints
- GTI1,405 complaints
- ID.41,007 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.